The Woman in the Witch
by NeonDomino
Summary: Remus was always there to listen to Hermione's troubles. Years later, can she make him realise that she's more than just a girl who needs help?


**Written for: (a lot of stuff!)**

 **Care of Magical Creatures** \- Task: Write about an innocent relationship between two people turning into one of romance. The author should add how this change of relationship started. They should also make a point to make this story starts as quite innocent and then turns into something quite romantic. (10 extra house points will be awarded to those that write 1,500 words or more.) Prompt: CARING

 **Ultimate Chocolate Frog Trading & Duelling Club - ** (Gold): Billywig: Challenge: Write about someone feeling invisible.

 **Gringotts Prompt Bank -** (1) "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." - Robert Frost (2) "Never be ashamed of what you feel. You have the right to feel any emotion that you want, and to do what makes you happy." - Demi Lovato (3) "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain (4) Title: The Woman in the Witch [10 point bonus] (5) Word Set: Elegant, Earth, Resist, Beg

 **Quidditch Pitch -** "Just do as you're told! Is that so hard?"

 **Drabble Club -** 'You can't hurry love' by Phil Collins

 **Hogwarts September Event -** (plot) Interaction with a teacher.

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 **The Woman in the Witch**

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 **Thanks to Firefly and Raybe for helping me. :D**

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It all started in Hermione's third year. Unknown to her at the time, her and Remus had bonded over their worry for Harry and Harry's safety. Remus had been just as concerned (as he later admitted) that the broomstick had been from Sirius. He knew it would be the sort of item that Sirius Black would pick to send to Harry, having being the one to buy him his first broomstick when he was younger.

But Remus hadn't given Hermione that information at the time, choosing instead to allow the young girl to sit in his classroom when he should have been grading papers. He offered her a tissue when the tears flowed, and a slab of chocolate when the tears had finally subsided. The kind words were saved until she had calmed down enough to take them in. Remus seemed proud of her that she was willing to do the right thing to look after her friends, despite the reaction she knew it would cause from them.

He said that she sounded like a true friend, and Harry was lucky to have her.

That was the first moment she felt like someone actually listened to her - that she wasn't quite so alone.

...oOo...

After Remus had left Hogwarts, Hermione kept in touch. The letters weren't that regular, but Remus wrote long letters, filled with information - interesting spells, books that he would recommend. He would tell stories and she never admitted to anyone that she had kept every single one of his letters.

After all, by that point they had crossed from Professor and student into actual friends. He didn't have to write to her, but he chose to.

She made sure her replies were just as long - keeping Remus updated on the lessons and giving information on Harry. She managed to convince him to join SPEW, a cause she had written a long parchment about.

One that Remus had seemed very interested in, and had willingly joined.

...oOo...

It was a letter that she re-read so many times, that it was threatening to tear across the centre where it had been opened and refolded so many times.

It had been a hard time for her around the Yule Ball. All Ron and Harry did was talk about getting dates and girls.

And she sat there, with them but completely alone.

Each and every boy just seemed to look through her - and it made her wonder if there was something wrong with her. Was she boring or dull? It couldn't have been her teeth, as she had them fixed. Was she ugly?

What was it?

Another night of her gender being ignored by her closest friends, she put her quill to paper and the words began to spill out. Outlining her upset, that she felt invisible to both of the boys.

The reply arrived the next day - Remus had never replied so quickly before. The letter was shorter than all the others, but it seemed as though he wanted her to get the letter as quickly as possible, just to make her feel better.

And it worked.

He assured her that one day they would see what a wonderful girl she was. That boys can miss what is right in front of them, and that there is nothing at all wrong with her.

She smiled as words jumped out at her. 'Loyal', 'kind', 'compassionate', 'caring'. He expressed that he thought she had a brilliant mind, and that anyone who stayed away from her because of that was losing out.

Years later as she looked back at the letters, she realised that was the point where she had started to feel more for her former Professor.

Not that she would do anything about it for a long time.

...oOo...

She danced in Sirius' arms as the music played. Though the man was a skilled dancer and his conversation made her laugh, she wished to be in Nymphadora Tonks' place at that moment.

Hermione had danced just once with Remus - and her heart had pounded as his arms held her gently as the moved across the floor - and though he wasn't as skilled at dancing as Sirius was, no other man holding her could compare. Not her dance with Harry when they were on the run, nor Viktor at the Yule ball, nor anyone else that had held her that evening for a dance.

"They won't last," Sirius mumbled, making Hermione's head spin from Remus, to the dark-haired man that was looking at her in amusement.

"What? Who?" Hermione replied, pretending as though she hadn't been staring over his shoulder at his best friend.

"We both know who," he murmured. "They won't last, trust me - I know Remus better than anyone. I know his type."

"And... what is his type?"

"Girls older than seventeen," Sirius replied, grinning at her. The grin faded as her gaze dropped. "But you won't always be seventeen. When you're a bit older he'll notice you, why wouldn't he? You're smart, you are his friend and you are beautiful." He stopped dancing as the song drew to an end, but still held Hermione whilst waiting for the next song. They both looked Remus' way, where he was smiling at Tonks.

"Trust me," Sirius assured her. "It's not going to last. I love my cousin, but she's not right for him. Give it a few years - wait until you're of an age where he would allow himself to realise you're a woman and then make your move."

"But will he ever see me like that?"

"Kitten, I'll make sure he realises you're all grown up," Sirius murmured. "The trick is to wait for the right time. Right now, he doesn't realise you're not the little girl he taught a few years back. But one day, you'll get your chance to show him that you're an adult and that you are perfect for each other."

...oOo...

Hermione turned away from Remus kneeling next to the body on the ground. She hadn't wanted them together, but she most certainly did not want to see Nymphadora Tonks dead. She had looked up to the woman and had liked her.

The only thing she hadn't liked about Tonks is how alike they were in their feelings for the amber-eyed Werewolf. Not that Hermione could blame her - who wouldn't fall in love with Remus Lupin.

She found Sirius pacing the hallway, his face chalk-white. "She was my baby cousin," he whispered, meeting Hermione's gaze. She held him for a long time, feeling the damp seep into the shoulder of the top. Although he was shaking, he didn't make a sound.

"I'm leaving," she murmured as he pulled away. "I'm going to go and find my family. I'll keep in touch by owl, but I think I need my mum and dad."

Sirius nodded. "I understand."

Her gaze dropped. "Ron's in love with me."

"You don't feel the same?"

"I only love one person," Hermione whispered. "And I can't do anything about it now. I'm going to head to Australia, Sirius. I need to find my parents and restore their memories."

...oOo...

Letters flew across the ocean quicker than the had over the previous years. Hermione felt awful that she wasn't around for Remus' mourning for Tonks. She knew from Sirius' letters that it hadn't been anything overly serious between them, but Remus had been close to Tonks.

In the meantime, Hermione was helping the healers fix her parents memories, and she could only read the letters that were kept in their own pouch in the bag she couldn't part with, sending long replies in return.

Time passed quickly as her parents slowly recovered, their memories coming back too slowly. Hermione missed the deadline for a return to Hogwarts, instead sitting her exams in the Ministry of Magic in Australia.

It had been a year by the time her parents had recovered all their memories, packed up their new lives, sold their house and booked three airplane tickets back to England.

...oOo...

She had been 18 and a half when she had left England, and she was approaching twenty years old. She informed her parents that she would be returning to the Wizarding world - something they had expected.

Upon arriving, looking around the familiar bedroom, Hermione's first actions were to pull out some parchment to inform Harry of her return, before sending the same message to Sirius and Remus.

Harry immediately sent an owl back, informing her he was most upset that her last letter hadn't stated an immediate return, and noting that it was her birthday in only a weeks time.

A second letter from Sirius informed her of the Birthday Party in Grimmauld Place that he was holding.

And the third letter, one from Remus with only 10 words scrawled on it.

' I can't wait to see you again! I've missed you.'

...oOo...

As she was helping her parents with getting their affairs in order and get their lives back on track, Hermione didn't make plans to see anyone from the Wizarding World.

Her return to the Wizarding World would be on the day after her 20th birthday. Her parents wanted to celebrate her birthday with her before she moved into Grimmauld Place. Her party was to be the night after, but a letter from Sirius offering her a room at Grimmauld Place was too good an offer to pass up, and she agreed with him that she would move in the evening after dinner with her parents.

...oOo...

Armed with only her trunk and her trusted beaded bag, Hermione opened the front door of Grimmauld Place and pulled the trunk in, setting it on the floor by the front door. Satisfied that no-one would fall over it, Hermione headed quietly through the house, straight for the kitchen where she expected to find Sirius.

What she found instead was a boxer-clad Remus, making a hot-chocolate. She let out a gasp, causing him to drop the spoon and spin around.

"Hermione?" he whispered, his gaze moving down her body before moving back to her eyes. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Remus," she murmured, rushing to him and throwing her arms around him tightly. He hugged her back for a long moment.

"What are you doing here?" Remus asked.

"Sirius offered me a room," Hermione said, allowing Remus to pull away from her. "He said I could move in, and I realised that there is no place I'd rather be."

A mixture of emotions flashed across Remus' face at those words, settling on curiosity. "Why?" he asked.

She smiled. "Because two of my favourite men live here," she replied. "Why would I want to live anywhere else?"

"I thought you'd live with your parents?"

"It's a two bedroom house and my mum is pregnant," Hermione said. "They were going to sell it and get a bigger house for all of us, but I told them not to. I wanted to start my own life now."

"So you move out from their house and into ours?" Remus asked, smiling. "You know Sirius is going to take this quite... seriously. He's going to be giving warnings to everyone who comes by to pick you up for a date."

"Sirius doesn't have a problem with who I want to date," Hermione replied. "Plus, I have Kingsley interested in the Society of Promotion of Elvish Warfare. I'll be taking up with the Ministry next week."

"That makes two of us," Remus replied, finally letting go of Hermione and glancing down at his bare chest. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting -"

"I don't mind," she said, her eyes moving down to his chest for a moment.

"I... I think I'll go and find my dressing gown, had I known that you were returning... I would have... I wouldn't have been walking around..." he gestured to his body, words failing him, and the expression on his face immediately told Hermione that he regretted drawing attention to it.

Before she could reply, Remus had turned and rushed out of the room.

Well, that was interesting.

Upon Remus' return, he seemed more composed, even though there was a slight flush to his cheeks. They made small talk as he heated his own drink, making one for Hermione. He took a seat facing her and offered her a wide smile.

"So, you were saying something about S.P.E.W?" Remus asked.

Hermione beamed at him, glad he hadn't called it 'spew' and started talking about her letters to Kingsley and how Kingsley agreed to let her work on a law for house-elves to be treated with more respect. "This will lead to laws opening up for all magical beings that don't have full rights," Hermione said. "Kingsley asked me to work on the law for Werewolves, but suggested I start with creatures that other wizards aren't scared of, which will make it easier when I do get around to the Werewolves."

"That sounds like a good plan," Remus agreed. "Otherwise there will be an outrage if you were to just jump right in with Werewolves. Kingsley has me working part time at the Ministry - the best he can give me with the current laws - I'm researching all the laws of the Wizarding world and trying to work out which ones aren't working anymore."

"That's a good idea. There are so many outdated laws now, and laws should be put in place for other dark spells, not just the unforgivables."

Remus nodded.

"It would help if more people took S.P.E.W more seriously," Hermione continued. "Instead of laughing at it, like it's some big joke and is not worth my time and that I should feel embarrassed even working on this."

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great," Remus told her.

Hermione smiled. "This is what I've missed - talking to you. You always know the right thing to say - and it's not just to make me feel better either, you always sound like you mean it."

"I do mean it," Remus replied. "But maybe I had that wrong. You already are great, Hermione."

She blushed. "Thank you, but enough about me - how have you been since the war? I've only heard in letters, but..."

Remus sighed. "It's hard to deal with any loss," he said. "I cared for Dora a lot, I didn't love her, and I wonder if we had more time together, would I have fallen in love with her, or would we have even lasted? She was the first one in a long time to see past my Lycanthropy. But in three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on, even without the people who have shaped it."

Hermione nodded. "We all thought highly of Tonks," she agreed. Her eyes met Remus' as she pulled the two empty cups towards her. "But you are mistaken about one thing."

"What's that?" Remus asked curiously, his eyes meeting hers as she pushed her chair back.

"That she was the first person in a long time to see past your Lycanthropy," Hermione whispered, before heading across the room to make fresh drinks.

...oOo...

Dressed in an elegant black dress that seemed to shimmer as she moved, Hermione walked down the stairs of twelve, Grimmauld Place, with Sirius Black waiting patiently for her at the bottom. Her steps were slow, as she was terrified of falling down the stairs in the unfamiliar heels.

Finally she reached the older man and he smirked at her. "Remus isn't going to know what's hit him," Sirius murmured. "But whatever you said to last night or this morning seems to have him staring at you a lot more. Care to fill me in?"

"Does it?" Hermione was almost scared to get her hopes up. "I'm most certainly not going to fill you in. I'm just worried that he'll think I'm too young, or -"

"Kitten, just get him to notice you and let me handle the rest," Sirius assured her, before leading her into the Parlour where all her old friends were waiting to see her for the first time in almost two years.

Hermione danced with almost everyone there, but there was one man that hadn't pulled her into a dance yet. The only one she wanted to dance with. She found herself in Sirius' arms, reminding her of the last dance they shared.

At Bill's wedding, before she ended up on the run.

"He's not interested," she breathed. "I thought... if he had been..."

"Kitten, have I ever steered you wrong before?" Sirius asked. "Remus just needs a little push, now dance with me like a good little kitten and let Remus see what he's missing out on!"

Hermione snorted, but allowed Sirius to pull her in slightly tighter before dipping her. Her arms instinctively reached up around his neck, terrified that he would drop her.

"I'm hurt," he whispered in amusement. "That you would even think I'd drop you. I'll have you know that I have years of dance lessons that I've never forgotten."

The song quickly drew to a close and Hermione found herself in Bill's arms for the next dance. Her eyes followed Remus and Sirius as they left the room.

"Hermione, it's good to see you again," Bill started, causing Hermione's gaze to move back to the tall redhead.

...oOo...

As soon as the song was over, she shot Bill an apologetic smile before quickly leaving the room to seek out Remus. She couldn't wait any longer - needing to put her heart on the line, because that may be the only way she would get her chance with Remus.

If he didn't feel the same, she would never speak of her feelings again to him.

"Just do as you're told, is that so hard?" Sirius' voice came from the kitchen and Hermione headed towards it.

"I can't," Remus snapped, angrily. "I shouldn't feel like this - she's about twenty years younger than me. She was my student - I was... and still am, someone she confides in. I'm not going to take advantage of that!"

"It's not taking advantage. Hermione's not just going to sleep with you because you're her friend - have you noticed that most of her friends are actually male. Friendship doesn't get someone into her bed, Remus. She's a good-girl - so you need to just go in there and ask her to dance, and see where the night takes you!"

Sirius' eyes fell on Hermione in the doorway.

"How?" Remus asked, oblivious to her presence. "Then what do I do? Tell her how beautiful she looks? Maybe tell her that I've kept all of her letters whilst she was in Australia and I've missed her more than anything." He scoffed. "Not things a young, amazing woman like Hermione would want to hear from an old man. I should be ashamed with how I feel about her."

"Never be ashamed of what you feel. You have the right to feel any emotion that you want, and to do what makes you happy," Hermione murmured from the door, causing Remus to spin around.

"Hermione..." he began. There was no point in him asking Hermione how much she had heard, as it was clear that she at least heard the last part. "I'm so sorry -"

"Remus, maybe what you've just described is exactly what I want to hear," Hermione offered, not wanting to hear any more of the unnecessary apology.

"Maybe?" Remus whispered.

"Okay, not maybe," Hermione decided. "That is definitely what I want to hear. I've kept all your letters too. Every single one."

"But the letters started just after I left Hogwarts - those must be years old," Remus replied.

Hermione nodded. "At first I kept them because of the recommendations for books and everything and when I fell in love with you, I just couldn't part with them."

She stared at him, waiting for him to make a move - any move - whether it be positive or negative.

"I believe that's my cue to leave," Sirius murmured. He winked at Hermione as he passed her, and headed from the room, closing the door behind him.

The click of the door jostled Remus to his senses. "You can't love me, Hermione," he said. "You're much too young to know -"

"Too young?" Hermione repeated. "You think that because of my age, I can't fall in real love? Answer me - how old were Molly and Arthur when they got married? What about James and Lily… or even Andromeda and Ted - all three couples fell in love before they had even finished Hogwarts. You know that was all true-love. Now, I'm old enough to know what I want, to know how I feel and to realise that I don't care about what anyone else think about this. I know how I feel, Remus - and that's love. I love you."

Remus stared at her in shock, and she decided to take advantage of the silence. After all, he hadn't said anything about not wanting her.

"Remus, I've missed you so much," Hermione said, moving closer. "I've not been able to stop thinking about you - wishing you were in Australia with me. Half-way around the Earth, and all I thought about was you."

"You know I would have been there for you had you asked," Remus immediately replied.

Hermione smiled. "I know, but I think after your loss, you needed Sirius more than you needed me - and Harry needed you both. I think that me asking you to help me find my parents would have been selfish."

"You are allowed your selfish moments," Remus told her.

"And so are you," Hermione said softly.

"Hermione," he whispered, tearing his gaze away. "I'm not sure that this is a good idea, you have the rest of your life ahead of you." She could hear in his voice that he knew he was fighting a losing battle. She knew she would win, because not once had Remus stated that he felt nothing for her. He couldn't deny that he had feelings.

"Please stop talking to me like a child," Hermione said "I'm not the little witch from Hogwarts that's crying because her friends are being reckless, or upset that boys don't notice me and that I feel invisible. As for your feelings... why should you be ashamed of them? Does that mean I should be ashamed of my feelings for you -"

"Of course you shouldn't - that's different!" Remus exclaimed.

"It doesn't seem so different to me. It just sounds like you're stopping yourself from being happy. Why can't you just allow it? Do you want me to beg you for a chance?"

She was so close to Remus, she could lean up and kiss him, but she still wasn't sure that he'd allow that yet. She tried to resist, but her tongue darted over her lips, eager to feel Remus'.

"I've always seen past your Lycanthropy," she continued. "Even when I was just a young student, I looked past it. When my crush on you developed, your Lycanthropy made no difference." She took a deep breath, trying to sound confident. "When I fell in love with you, your Lycanthropy still wasn't an issue. You're the one I want to be with - the one I've always wanted to be with."

"You had a crush on me?" Remus asked bewildered. "When?"

She nodded. "A lot of your students did," she replied. "Mine was after you left Hogwarts - the letter before the Yule-Ball where I thought I was invisible to everyone."

"People are going to talk badly of you," Remus said, weakly. "Because of my condition. People will stare."

"Will that bother you?"

"I would hate for anyone to think badly of you," Remus confirmed.

"And I would hate for someone to think badly of you. The strangers in the street don't matter to me, and I know that our friends and family will accept this because they love us both and want to see us happy. Some may need to get used to the idea, but you need to know that it's always been you for me, Remus!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm yours," Hermione whispered, watching his eyes close as he ducked his head, meeting her lips. Only a soft brush against hers, and she could tell that he was hesitant, as though he was scared she'd pull away or change her mind.

Her hands pressed gently against his chest, sliding up to his shoulders. She couldn't believe she could finally do this, just touch him as she wanted. They would around his neck and her lips softly brushed his.

"Now, aren't we celebrating my return and my birthday?" she whispered, pulling away slightly. "There's only one man I've wanted to dance with tonight, and I believe he's the only one who hasn't asked me."

Remus nodded softly, pulling his wand from the pocket. With a flick of his wand, the music from the other room filled the kitchen where they stood with barely any space between them.

Remus took a step back, bowing slightly and offering his hand and a warm smile. "May I have this, and every other dance tonight, with the woman I love?"

Hermione nodded, taking his outstretched hand. Remus pulled Hermione close to him once more, slipping his arms around her and holding her tightly. They moved slowly in the music, more focused on staring into each other's eyes than anything.

She tried to look calm, but inside she was amazed at his words. He loved her. The man she had been in love with for years loved her in return.

Remus' hands slowly trailed over her back, and Hermione's arms moved up to wind around Remus' neck. His head bowed to hers, and she tilted her face up, letting their lips meet. This time it wasn't a soft uncertain kiss. This time Remus kissed her as she had always imagined, his lips dominating hers, his arms holding her tightly as though he never wanted to let her go!

They didn't pull away when they heard the door open, assuming it was Sirius coming back in.

"We were wondering where you..." Harry trailed off at the sight of his father's friend and his own best friend dancing. "Right... well, I'll leave you to it." The door closed behind him.

"See," Hermione whispered. "People are more accepting than you realise."

"Maybe," Remus replied. She eyed the smile on his lips for a second before meeting them with her own once more. She knew she would never tire of his kisses.


End file.
